Body positioner attachment for caskets



2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 14, 1947 A n reutor BJ @n 2 zam:

A Ito meyx May 1'7, 1 949. E. R. REEsE Erm. 2,470,321 BODY vPOSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR CASKETS Filed Nov. 14, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 2 Inventor @www Attorneys Patented May 17, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BODY POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR CASKETS Claims.

This invention relates to a body positioner attachment adapted to be demountably disposed in a casket, adjacent the bottom thereof and beneath the mattress or bedding for elevating one side of a corpse in order that a frontal view of the corpse can be obtained while looking down into the casket at an angle.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a body positioner attachment capable of being readily adjusted for elevating one side thereof when the casket is open and which may likewise be readily adjusted to cause the positioner to assume a horizontal position at other times when the casket is not open.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the aforedescribed character of extremely simple construction which may be economically manufactured and sold and which is capable of being readily actuated for adjusting the positioner from a horizontal to a laterally inclined position with respect to the casket or conversely.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View showing the positioner in an applied position;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View through a casket and showing the positioner in end elevation therein and in an elevated position;

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the positioner;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the hook supporting brackets thereof;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 of another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary prespective view of a longitudinal side portion thereof, and

Figure 8 is a perspective View of a supporting bracket for use with the embodiments of Figures 6 and 7.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and first with reference to the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, the body positioner attachment for caskets comprising the invention is designated generally It and includes an elongated rectangular frame II the side portions of which are connected by transverse rods or bars I2 and I3, preferably of different diameters and which combine with said frame to form an openwork supporting surface on which a mattress or bedding, not shown, of a casket I4 is adapted to be supported.

As best seen in Figure 4, one longitudinal side of the frame II is provided with three depending supporting legs, each designated generally I5 and each of which includes two sections It and II having adjacent overlapping ends which are connected by pivot pins or the like I8. The upper section I6 of each leg I5 has its upper end turned inwardly to engage around a portion of said side of the frame II and may be secured thereto in any suitable manner as by welding, as indicated at I9. A connecting bar or link 2B is pivotally connected by pivot pins or the like 2| to the outer side of each of the lower leg sections Il and adjacent the lower ends thereof and said bar or link 20 between two of the legs I5, is provided with a handle 22 which extends upwardly therefrom and by means of which the link 28 can be displaced longitudinally of the frame I I for swinging the leg sections I'I upwardly and into positions substantially at right angles to the leg sections II. The side portion of the frame II, to which the legs I5 are attached is also provided with an upwardly projecting handle 23 for lifting said side of the frame.

The other longitudinal side of the frame I I has the shank end of a pair of hooks 2t suitably secured thereto in any suitable manner as by soldering or welding, as indicated at IQa and said hooks 24 rise from the outer side of the frame II and terminate at their upper ends in outturned hooked portions or bills 25 each of which is adapted to detachably engage in an opening 26 of a hook supporting hanger or bracket 21 which is secured by fastenings 28 to the inner Side of one of the longitudinal side walls of the casket I4, as best seen in Figure 3 and whereby the side of the frame I I, to which said hooks 24 are connected, is supported thereby in a slightly elevated position with respect to the casket bottom.

As best seen in Figure 4, the frame I I is dividedv at the point 29 into sections, the right-hand or head section of which is longer than the lefthand or foot section, and it will be noted that the two hooks 24 are attached to the right-hand or head section and that two of the legs I5 are likewise attached to the head section. The pivot pin 2I of the leg I5 which is attached to the foot section may be detachably connected to the link 20 to enable the ready detachment of the foot section of the frame II so that by det-aching the left-hand or foot section the right-hand or head section only may be utilized for a half couch casket or the entire device may be employed as a unit for use with a full couch casket.

It will be noted that the hooks 24 will support the left-hand side of the frame H, as seen in Figure 3 slightly above the casket bottom and if the leg sections l1 are swung into folded position, substantially parallel to the frame ll, the right-hand side of said frame will be supported on the upper leg section:4v F6 :and at substantially'. the same levelas the left-hand side thereof. `The handle 23 as well as the handle 22 protrudes from one side of the bedding of the casket to enable the handle 23 to be manually engagedffiior elevating the right-hand side of the frame Il, as seen in Figure 3 so that the handle 22 can them-be actuated to swing the leg sections 'llito'their extended positions and fori'zsulpportmgitheifralme Il at an incline laterally, as seen in Figure 3..01' said handle 23 can be manually engageds 4for supporting the right-handiside of the frame elevated while the handle 22 is manually actuated 'for' Tolding the leg sections "11 and preparatory" 'to Y'pos-i- 'tioning the frame in-substantially'fahorizontal position. It -will thus-be 'readily apparentftha-t the body positioner ll'l affords-fan attao'lfitnent'"can pable of beingreadilyappliedtoconventionalcasu kets and which is adapted to'supportthe Jcasket bedding on whichthecorpse is positioned andfby means of which the 4vbodyof-'the `-corpse mayfbe tilted transverselywith'respectto'the longitudinal axis of the casketfso-fthatwhen lookinginto"the casket from above vand"at"an"anglea ironttl'view of the body will be afforded.

Figures 6, `7 and'8 illustrate a slightly modified form of the positioner'fandvwhich is designated generally 30 and whichincludesa framefcorresponding to the frameHfand'which framell, as seen in vFigure '6 V*is/provided 'at theilit-'hand lside thereof with hooks24,*'corresporidirrgtoithe hooks 24 of the body 'positioner ID'andwlrich are attached to hangers or'brac'kets'i'ln the same manner aspreviously described'fand' asillustrated in Figure 3. '-I'oweVen inilieu ofthe legs 15, connecting link "20fand' handle, 1aba'r 32 is secured vat one end'there'of -tothe rightihand side of the frame Il "and to'the right'of the joint 29 or to the `)head section'thereofand 'said bar 22 extends-upwardlyon the 'outer `side oi the frame and has the 'upper endthereoff'folded back upon itself 'to provide-a llfiairiile33. Thermwardly extending portion ofthe bar 321s .jproiflded with a struck out tongue`34"whichproj'ects'outwardly and'downwardly-'andI which' is adaptedto selectively and detachably engage in vvertically spaced openings '35 'of a fhangerbr'acket "36 which is secured by fastenings *31 to theinrrer 'sideo'i the right-hand side'o'f the *casket lil crf'opposite to the hanger `brackets 21. IhebarS'Z 'maylbe secured at its lower errdbywelding 'orotherwise to the right-hand side of 'the' frame *I1 'and'fis sumciently 'resilientso that the'upp'ereiid thereof may be swung inwardly with respect to the frame to permit the 'tongue'34 to passon tlreinnerside of the hanger 36 and may'beipennittedito'yiel'd outwardly for-engaging the' terminal ofthe tongue selectively in any on'e of'theopeningsSil for'snpporting the right-hand si'd'e 'of "the 'am'e lll, as seen in Figure '6 at Jany -llefsiredelevation"with respect to the lefthand side `tliereoi'orf'or'supporting said frame 'l l insu'bstantiallya horizontal position. The `right-handside "offfthe frame Il may also 'be `provided iyvt'h a "han'dil'e '23. by means of which said side may `v`be "held relevate for engaging or 4disengag'ing the tongue from the 'openings 135. Ilit Awill likewise ibereadily apparent that the structure of Figures 6 to 8 may be utilized with or without the left-hand or foot section of the frame ll and that the body positioner 30 is intended and readily adaptable for use in the same manner and for the same purpose as previously described with reference to the body positioner l0.

Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated andumay obviously be re sorted to,` without departing from the 'spirit or .scope of the invention as hereinafter dened by `rthe appended claims.

vrvWe claim as our invention: L1. A body positioner for a casket comprising a 'supporting dframe adapted to be disposed in the bottom portion of a lcasket for supporting a corpse thereoniand means for supporting one longitudinalside .of the frame at different levels with respect tothe other side thereof, said means corn prising legs secured to 'and depending from said 'side' of the frame and each 'formed o'fpivotally connected sections, al link connecting the lower, 'depending sections'of said legs, -a'nda' handle connected to said link for mov'ingfit in-a direction longitudinally-of theframeffor moving said ide- -pending leg sections to extended position `or into folded position, substantially `parallel to the frame.

2. A body positioner for a-fcasketcomprising a supporting frame adaptedto be disposed inthe bottom portion of a casket -forsuppor-ting a corpse thereon, and means for supporting one longitudinal side of the frame at-different levelswith '-respect to the other side thereof,-said 7means com prising a hanger bracket v'supported on thefin'ner side of said casket, and a resilient lvbar 1-`1xe`dto said side of the vframe and 'extendingupwardly therefrom and provided -w'ithran Loutwardly'pro- 'jecting element detachably and selectively engageable with vertically spaced portions of the hanger bracket vfor 'supporting ysaid -sidef-of ythe frame at Various levels.

3. A body positioner for -a /ca'sket 'comprising a supportingframe adapted to 'be "disposed linfitl-l'e bottom portion of Va casket iorsupporiting-afcorpse thereon, and means forsupportingrone longitudinal side of the frame at different'levels-with-respect to Athe `other side thereof, hook 'brackets mounted on the inner side of andfsupported'lby the casket above said frame, and hooks secured to said other side of the frame and rising'itherefrom and pivotally engaging 4.said hook brackets for supporting said other side'oftthe irameat substantially a predetermined -level :above the casket bottom and forfaccommodatinga lateral rocking movement of the f-ramelwhen saidfmeans is actuated for vraising -or-.lowering `the .rst mentioned side thereof.

4. A body positionerlor-fa casketicomprising asupporting frame adapted tobe disposedzinflthe bottom portion of-alcasket Afor supporting acer-psc thereon, and means-for supporting.the-.longitudinal sides of the frame .at .different levels-with respect to the casket bottom, said frame lbeing formed of separable head and foot.sections,-and said means 'being connectedtosaid .head `section for supporting said head .section separatelysor for supporting the 'frame as a unit.

5. A body `positioner for a -casket comprising a supporting .frame adaptedl tolbe 'disposed'.in, the bottom portion o'f a casket'for supportingacorpse thereon, and means .for supportingone'longitudinal side vof lthe frame atdilerentevels with respect tothe Vother slde'thereo'f,saidmeans com-V prising a 'hanger 'bracket supported on the 'inner 5 6 side of said casket, and a resilient bar xed to said side of the frame and extending upwardly REFERENCES CITED therefrom and provided with an outwardly pro- The following references are of record in the jecting element detachably and selectively enle of this patent: gageable with vertically spaced portions of the 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS hanger bracket for supporting said side of the frame at various levels, and hook and hanger Number Name Date means for pivotally supporting the other side of 212901514 WiddOWSOn July 21, 1942 said frame at a predetermined level above the casket bottom. l0

EARL R. REESE. ALBERTUS UPTON. 

